On Sunday, July 7, 2013 Consul General Jun Niimi hosted a send-off dinner reception for the third annual JET Memorial Invitation Program (JET-MIP).
JET-MIP was created in honor of the memory of Mr. Montgomery Dickson and Ms. Taylor Anderson, two assistant English language teachers who lost their lives as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, which occurred on March 11, 2011. This year’s JET-MIP send-off dinner reception was attended by Shelley Frederickson, the sister of Mr. Montgomery Dickson, as well as Mr. Andy Anderson and Mr. Jeff Anderson, father and brother to Ms. Taylor Anderson.
Organized by the Japan Foundation, the JET Memorial Invitation Program provides an opportunity to 32 high school students to engage in educational and cultural activities in Japan for approximately two weeks time, with a special emphasis on the Tohoku region. While in Japan, JET-MIP participants receive Japanese language instruction, travel to areas affected by the 2011 disaster, and spend time with Japanese families as part of a home stay program. The aims of JET-MIP include encouraging American high school students to continue studying Japanese language, to promote participation in exchange programs such as the JET Program, and to forge ties between participants and the people of Japan.
The 2013 participant representative who provided remarks at the reception, Na Xiong, encouraged the group using the Japanese phrase “ichi-go ichi-e”: a saying that exalts the importance of treasuring every encounter one experiences as an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. |
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